Adding Alias .wire Import to Okino Software via the PTC Granite 'gPlugs' Mechanism
One of Okino's very core offerings is its tight integration with PTC Pro/Engineer (Creo) software and the
related PTC "Granite" technology. A side benefit of the Granite
integration with Okino software is the ability to use "gPlug" modules from third party companies,
in particular the Alias .wire file importer provided by Autodesk.
In the simplest of terms, this allows Okino customers (who own the Granite/Pack add-on
license) to download additional free
CAD importer modules from the PTC WEB site to expand upon the number of importers already provided
by the Okino Granite/Pack license.
!! NOTE !! As of this time, only the Alias .wire gPlug module has been updated by Autodesk
to work with the newest and most current releases of PTC Granite. The IronCAD .ics and Raindrop Geomagic .wrp
modules have not been updated in a very long time and hence cannot be supported in Okino software.
This is best illustrated by the following diagram. The Alias .wire, IronCAD .ics and Raindrop Geomagic .wrp
gPlug importer modules are downloaded from the PTC WEB site and installed in the Okino
32-bit "vcplugin\gPlug" or 64-bit "vcplugin64\gPlug" directory. After the addition of some cursory ".rti" files to the Okino "vcplugin" or "vcplugin64"
directory, new menus items will appear in the Import files list for these additional importers. Invoking
any one of these importers will cause the normal Okino Granite importer module to be executed, which
itself will then execute the custom gPlug importer module.
In addition, this works equally well with the special native plug-in version of PolyTrans for 3ds
Max (PolyTrans-for-3dsMax) and
Maya (PolyTrans-for-Maya), as well as third party software
which integrates Okino conversion software.
How to Download and Install the Alias .wire 'gPlug' Module from the PTC WEB Site
This section will outline the simple steps required to download and install the free gPlug CAD
importer modules from the PTC WEB site. Please note that you need to have
a valid Granite/Pack add-on license for Okino software.
First, visit the main PTC gPlugs
home page. Scroll down to the "Download the Available gPlugs" section. Download the newest
"Alias .wire" ZIP file, either the 32-bit or 64-bit version. These gPlug modules only work with
specific versions of PTC Granite but such information is not explained well on this PTC WEB page.
If you are running a 32-bit (x86) version of Okino software then unzip the 32-bit Alias .wire ZIP file
into the Okino "vcplugin\gplug" directory. Else if you are running a 64-bit (x64) version of
Okino software then unzip the 64-bit Alias .wire ZIP file into the Okino "vcplugin64\gplug"
directory. This directory is a sub-directory in the main NuGraf or PolyTrans home directory. If the
"gplug" directory does not exist then please create it first, but it should always exist.
The Okino "vcplugin" or "vcplugin64" directory will most likely contain a pre-existing file called
"imp_granite_alias_wire.rti". If it does not exist then you can obtain this file either by emailing
support@okino.com or from
this file.
Read and follow the instructions in the next section below, 'Runtime Requirement: Setting a Path to the 'gPlugs' Directory'.
Make sure your version of the "imp_granite.dll" is dated Oct 24 2011 or newer. If you purchased
the Okino software after this date then you do not need to check on the version.
Exit NuGraf or PolyTrans, PolyTrans-for-3dsMax, PolyTrans-for-Maya, etc. Re-enter the software.
You should now see the new "Alias .wire" CAD importer listed in the import menu or list.
Execute the new importer. In particular, try importing from the Alias .wire file format.
There is a sample ".wire" file which comes with their importer.
Wait a few minutes for the process to complete. In general this gPlug importer mechanism is
slower than a normal import process due to the extra layers of complexity involved; for example,
the Alias .wire file importer will itself spawn a stand-alone program to convert from the .wire
file to a .g (Granite) file, after which point the Okino Granite importer will use the gPlug
mechanism to import the .g file.
If you receive the following error after trying your first .wire file import, then that is most
likely due to one of: (1) not having the Alias .wire gPlug software downloaded and installed into the
Okino "gPlug" directory, (2) mixing up the 32-bit and 64-bit version (you need to use the 32-bit Alias
gPlug in 32-bit Okino software, and similarly for the 64-bit software), (3) using the Alias .wire gPlug
with the wrong version of PTC Granite installed within the current copy of Okino software, or (4) most
likely not having an entry in the global PATH environment variable which points to the Okino "gPlug"
directory (and, ensuring that you rebooted your computer).
"A fatal error was encountered while trying to load up the Alias .wire 'gPlug' module and supporting DLLs.
This generally means that you have not manually set up the runtime environment for the third party Alias/Autodesk
.wire converter."
Runtime Requirement: Setting a Path to the 'gPlugs' Directory
The Alias .wire gPlug module from Autodesk has a runtime requirement. You must add the 'gPlug'
directory path to the global "PATH" environment variable so that the gPlug module can locate all of the
corresponding Alias runtime DLLs.
First, determine where the Okino "gPlug" directory is located on your computer. For example, if
may be "c:\program files\polytrans\vcplugin64\gPlug" or "c:\program files (x86)\polytrans\vcplugin\gPlug".
Go to the Windows control panel, double click on the "System" icon and choose "Advanced system settings".
Choose the "Environment" tab, or press the "Environment Variables..." button.
In the "System Variables" section click on the "Path" variable and press the "Edit..." button.
Place the cursor in the "Variable Value" type-in box and move the cursor all the way to the
end of the current path text.
Append a semi-colon to the PATH text and then the full "gPlug" directory path as determined in step 1 above. If the directory path contains spaces then please enclose it in double quotes, such as:
Press the "OK" button and then the 'OK" button on the dialog box.
Reboot your machine. You need to do this so that the PATH variable gets propagated throughout your
machine.
How to Write Your Own Okino '.rti' File For a New Third Party gPlug Module
Okino's software is made aware of new import and export converters through the use of ASCII ".rti"
(run time information) files located in the "vcplugin" or "vcplugin64" directory. Each file format
should and does have its own .rti file. In the case of the PTC Granite-based importers, there are multiple files named imp_granite_*.dll; each defines a unique Granite-supported file format (ACIS® SAT®, IGES, Parasolid®, ProE®, Pro/DESKTOP®, STEP & VDA-FS) but also each points to the single "imp_granite.dll" module as the main handler which imports and parses those file formats.
If a third party developer creates and makes available a new gPlug module on the PTC WEB site, then
a new Okino .rti file will need to be created and saved to the "vcplugin" or "vcplugin64" directory. In
general, this should remain the job of Okino programmers but nevertheless the info below will
document the process on how to create a new .rti file.
For the sake of this example, let's assume the new gPlug importer is an "Okino .bdf file importer".
First, go to the vcplugin directory and copy the "imp_granite_alias_wire.rti" file to "imp_granite_okino_bdf.rti" (with the "okino_bdf" appropriately changed to the company and file format associated with the new gPlug module).
Edit the "imp_granite_okino_bdf.rti" file with Notepad.exe. The lines we need to change are these:
GUID = {5F8CDB78-3E11-4bee-9318-0539F57039AB}
Demo_Mode_Desc = "imports data in the Alias .wire file format"
Plugin_Descriptive_Name = "Alias .wire Files"
Menu_Description = "Alias .wire (via PTC Granite g-plugs)"
FileOpen_Filter_Spec = "Alias .wire Files (*.wire)|*.wire|"
Use "guidgen.exe" (available in Microsoft Visual Studio) to create a new GUID for the .rti file.
Edit the "Demo_Mode_Desc", "Plugin_Descriptive_Name" and "Menu_Description" entries appropriately.
Change the "FileOpen_Filter_Spec" entry as necessary, and modify the file extensions supported by the new gPlug (such as ".bdf" in our example).
And that's all there is to it. When NuGraf or PolyTrans is restarted, the new importer will appear in the File/Import list. Executing that importer should pop up a file selector showing the file filter defined in the "FileOpen_Filter_Spec" entry above. The associated gPlug will then be executed to import the data.
PTC, Granite and "gPlug" are trademarks or registered trademarks of Parametric Technology Corporation
or its subsidiaries in the United States and in other countries. The "Built on PTC Granite" Technology
Logo is used under license from Parametric Technology Corporation, Needham, MA, USA.
Adding Alias .wire Import to Okino Software via the PTC Granite 'gPlugs' Mechanism
One of Okino's very core offerings is its tight integration with 